‘Too many sold a false dream’: UK PM Rishi Sunak cracks down on ‘rip-off degrees’

The UK government is now cracking down on “rip-off degrees” or degrees that have a high dropout rate, don’t lead to good jobs, and leave the students burdened with high debt. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that through this move, his administration is ensuring a jobs boost and economic growth. 

“The UK is home to some of the best universities in the world and studying for a degree can be immensely rewarding. But too many young people are being sold a false dream and end up doing a poor-quality course at the taxpayers’ expense that doesn’t offer the prospect of a decent job at the end of it. That is why we are taking action to crack down on rip-off university courses, while boosting skills training and apprenticeships provision. This will help more young people to choose the path that is right to help them reach their potential and grow our economy,” he said.

The UK government’s Department of Education stated that students as well as taxpayers would be better protected against rip-off degree courses. The Office for Students (OfS) will limit the number of students universities can recruit onto courses that fail to deliver good outcomes. 

The department, in a note, stated that while the UK has some of the world’s leading universities, a minority of courses leave students not only with high debt but also with low earnings and poor job prospects. The government aims to make the system fairer not only for students but also for taxpayers who make huge investments in higher education and are liable for billions of pounds in unrecovered tuition fees if the graduate earnings are low. 

According to the OfS data, three in 10 graduates do not progress into highly skilled jobs or continue further after 15 months after graduating. One in five graduates would have been better off not going to said universities, the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated. 

Also watch: Hermès Birkin bag a better investment than gold and stock market? See what experts say

The Rishi Sunak-led UK government also announced that it would reduce the maximum fee that universities can charge for classroom-based foundation year courses from the £9,250 (approximately Rs 9,93,853) currently to £5,760 (Rs 6,18,875). Foundation year courses are an additional year of study that helps students prepare for degrees with specific entry requirements. The government said that too many people are encouraged to take foundation year courses for subjects where it is not necessary, such as business. 

The Sunak administration has asked OfS to ensure that courses that fail to deliver good earnings are subject to stricter controls. 

UK Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said, “These new measures will crack down on higher education providers that continue to offer poor quality courses and send a clear signal that we will not allow students to be sold a false promise. Wherever they choose to study, it is vital students can gain the skills needed to get great jobs and succeed.”

The UK government will also launch a new digital platform from autumn where people and employers can search for everything from apprenticeships and T Levels (technical-based qualifications) to skills bootcamps and essential skills courses in one place.

Also read: 'Will increase charges for migrants': UK visa fees, health surcharge set to rise, says PM Rishi Sunak

Also read: ‘Such an interaction is impossible’: Jairam Ramesh blasts PM Modi as UK Parliamentary panel questions Rishi Sunak  

Also watch: Amul to Nirma, McDonalds, throwback to iconic logos/mascots of KFC, Parle G, Air India, Pillsbury, Duracell